Italian-hating pizza scammer now a wanted man in two states

He may not yet be America’s public enemy number one, but the net is closing in on a man who allegedly called in thousands of dollars worth of fake pizza orders.

Police in both New Jersey and Florida are working together to find Sudeep Khetani, who is wanted on charges of theft, after placing fraudulent orders at over 30 pizza restaurants.

Khetani, who is originally from South Brunswick in New Jersey, allegedly called 34 pizzerias in his home town, as well as in Montgomery and Plainsboro, according to the South Brunswick Township Police Department.

As he placed the orders, he claimed that the food was being donated to the police. Then, when the establishments would call him to check on his whereabouts, police say Khetani would “make statements about Italians and wished they would be afflicted with the coronavirus.”

An additional investigation is being conducted to determine if the crimes were motivated by bias in any way, police said. Authorities are also looking at the series of cases as potential cyber harassment, they said.

Khetani allegedly used a voice override service to mask his real phone number, but police were eventually able to track his identity. They believe Khetani is currently in the Orlando area.

South Brunswick police are working with Florida authorities to track him down, according to NBC News.

This is not the New Jersey native’s first brush with the law. He is already on probation for a previous offense of selling fake Disney World tickets.

Chief Raymond Hayducka said in a press release: “It is incomprehensible that a suspect would play on the goodwill of so many during these difficult times. The suspect once placed an order saying it was coming to South Brunswick Police. We have had several residents send us food, which I appreciate tremendously, but this suspect has gone to a new low. Our businesses are struggling, and every dollar matters.”